Squeaky floors can be an annoyance or even a dangerous structural defect. The squeak occurs due to an imperfect relation between a solid flooring material and the joists supporting the flooring material. Such squeaky floors are clearly discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,372,466 to Jon L. O'Berry, fully incorporated herein by reference. One of the key factors, in solving a squeaky floor problem by eliminating or minimizing the squeak, is locating the joist, which supports the floor at the point where the squeak is occurring.
In a carpeted room, it is difficult to use a standard device to locate a joist. One standard device is magnetic detector. Another is a sound echo check. Neither of these devices is efficient, especially in a carpeted room.
For example, the magnetic detectors for the nails in the joist cannot be used in view when carpeting is on the floor.
The carpeting insulates the nails from a magnetic detection device. Yet, it is still desired to locate the joist as efficiently as possible. With the joist being located as efficiently as possible, the squeak in the floor can be eliminated as efficiently as possible.
Sound echo location is also prevented by the carpeting on the joist. It is difficult, if not impossible, to develop any reasonable sound distinction of a nail or a joist through the carpet on a carpeted floor, and thereby locate a joist.
It is undesirable to have the device for locating the joist be expensive or complicated to use. It is desired to achieve these results with a very simple uncomplicated device. Such actions on the part of the device can permit the squeaks to be acted on in an efficient manner. Such efficiency provides for the more effective use of an invention as described in the above cited patent.
Also, any joist locating procedure must occur with minimal or no damage to the surface. This is difficult to accomplish, when neither echo or sound detection, nor magnetic detection works well.